SCIENCE > EARTH SYSTEM > NATURAL DISASTERS MOTHER NATURE One of the most vicious storms ever recorded blasted 26 of the United States, eastern Canada, Central America, Cuba, and other Caribbean islands from March 12-15, 1993. The ’93 Superstorm formed when high-pressure Arctic air was pushed southward by the jet stream, creating very cold temperatures all the way down the East Coast. Meanwhile, a large low-pressure area moved from the Gulf of Mexico into Florida, and finally up the Atlantic coast. When the two systems met, they created a weather event that many called the Storm of the Century. Due to the low temperatures, snow blanketed the entire East Coast from northern Florida to Nova Scotia. A total of nearly 54 cubic kilometers of snow fell across the region, including Southern towns that rarely, if ever, see snowfall. Birmingham, AL received 43 centimeters, and Mountain City, GA got 61 centimeters. In spots, the barometric pressure dropped to levels typical of a Category 3 hurricane, and every airport from Atlanta to Halifax was forced to close. Some 300 people died; 10 million people lost power; 18 houses on Long Island fell into the ocean; and hundreds of roofs collapsed from the weight of the snow. The state of Florida was hit by 15 tornadoes, which killed 44 people. Alll in all, the storm caused somewhere between $6 billion and $10 billion in damages. 1999-2014 BrainPOP, Allright reserved. Visit us at http//wwn.brainpop.com